Element 79 Vineyards

Inspired by the family, friends, and experiences that make us rich, Element 79 Vineyards was born of our love of wine, winemaking, and the opportunity to follow our dreams and immerse ourselves in the winemaker lifestyle. Many years ago, we would come to the Fair Play area to find our perfect Christmas tree. During these excursions, we fell in love with the area and dreamed of one day owning a vineyard in El Dorado County.

Gold, the 79th element on the periodic table, was the inspiration for our name. More than just the symbol for the gold on the vine and in the bottle, the name was also inspired by our love of the region and a recognition of its importance in our nation’s history as the location that began the legendary California Gold Rush. Most importantly, 1979 was the year that we were married and began the partnership that has made us rich in life and gave us the opportunity to achieve our dreams.

Our Wines

Nestled in the rolling hills of El Dorado County, deep in the heart of California Gold Country, our property is located in the Fair Play AVA, which has the distinction of being the California AVA with the highest average elevation. Situated at 2,400 feet above sea level, our property encompasses seventy acres, thirty two of which are planted with grapes.

The lower vineyard consists of twenty acres planted with ten acres of Zinfandel, two acres of Cab Franc, one acre of Petite Verdot and seven acres of Syrah. The upper vineyard consists of twelve and one half acres planted with five acres of Petite Sirah, five acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and two and one half acres of Viognier.

Our soil of decomposed granite are sandy loam classified with excellent drainage and are ideal for the grapes they support.

Our mission is to employ the best farming practices to grow the highest quality grapes and produce premium estate-grown single varietal and blended wines.

Events

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